It was the sort of charming shop
that might just disappear if you turned away for too long.
It had a magical aura. I waked in and thought I saw an old woman
sitting at a desk, she smiled as I walked past but continued to read her book.

There were stacks of old papers, manuscripts, music and assorted documents in faded brown long

hand and old photos scattered everywhere.

Pots and pans were filled with lace trims and an old settee

called my name.

I sat and began to look through a dusty album,

the naturalists' notebook...

Perfect, I thought ... I had been looking for just

such a something.

I paid the woman, who poked the money into her book and continued reading.

The notebook was a puzzle, there were no notes of nature, nothing scientific but instead, there were

drawings and paintings on paper...

And then I realized I had found an artists record of a natural adventure..

Each drawing labeled as Fig. corresponded to a work of art

and suddenly

I woke up...

Yes,

the idea for the notebook came to me in a dream....

Artist Statement

The Naturalists' Note book was born in a dream, following an illness that left me unable to create. I spent many days watching birds, butterflies and dragonflies. My love of nature assisted me in my healing and followed me back to the studio. My aim has always been to bridge the gap between realism and abstraction, to illustrate relationship and to convey hidden meaning through symbols.

My mixed media pieces always elevate the mundane, celebrate the antique and express in rich layers. In this collection, I strived to create a sense of magical realism, where butterflies form mandalas and crows stand ready to perform magic. Though this is a documentation of personal growth, it is also a map of universal discovery.

Inside the Naturalists' Notebook.. Caterina Giglio

and I was excited to

create something that held the inspiration

for each piece of work..

You can take a video tour

of the show below..

I had two antique journals, one was the Antique periodical holder

and the other one was a handmade book filled with pressed flowers.

They fit together as if they were made for one another..
fortunately there were many blank pages left in the flower journal,

and I began to fill them following notes in my studio journal...

I created my first inspirational piece, or Note below

the finished board is on the left.

Cosmic Butterfly, on board left and Notes on Cosmic Butterfly right, above.

as I worked, I thought,

why not put the notes in the show as well..

so this collection offers you a clear idea of my inspiration, as well as the finished piece..

Oh my gosh, Cat! What a stunning collection you have created, and to think that it came to you in a dream. No wonder the collages are so ethereal. I can't even pick a favorite, they are all so wonderful. Best wishes for a successful show in Fort Collins.

This is a beautiful dream come true, dear Cat. Such stunning pages, filled with poetry an d beauty. It must have been very special being able to see it in real .Have a peaceful break from here, and return filled up with on ly good things, again ,friend.Hugs, Dorthe I myself will be away for the next 4 days to come :-)

Hi Cat. I can't tell you how much I've been enjoying your blog and your videos. This is a beautiful collection of work and thanks so much for sharing it with us. Good luck with your show and have a safe trip! Sue

Lovely, lovely, lovely collection and one that, for me, evokes the spiritual connections we have to the natural world. Thank you so much for sharing and good luck with your upcoming show in Fort Collins. Will look forward to your FB live post. Ciao

That was great, Catarina. You've worked so hard. Ill be thinking of you during your show and for everyone that will take home one of your pieces. What a wonderful life experience it will be. Thanks for sharing with us so generously...Laura

I've been out of the loop, but now that I'm back, I believe this is possibly your best work yet. I honestly love the connection between the sketch and the completed entry. Sharing both together makes the entry feel complete. I am truly impressed and hope this was as successful as I feel it will be.

Lana, I sure hope you got to see it, if not live then at least the video! Thank you again for all your kind support of the show, I sincerely appreciate all your kind remarks and your following on social media! xoxo

Oh, Dr. E!! yes it was just awesome. In so many ways!! Thanks so much for stopping by and I am so delighted that you liked the collection. I loved the idea of offering the originals and everyone at the show was wowed! Thank you always for your consistent support, I so appreciate you! x